All you need to know about the extraordinary Dagaaba and Frafra friendly games 2024 edition

When is the Dagaaba and Frafra friendly games event?

This year’s Dagaaba and Frafra friendly games will come off on Saturday 7th of September 2024, at the El-Wak Sports Stadium in Accra. The gates will open at 8 am and close at 5 pm for all revelers, cultural enthusiasts, and especially people from the two ethnic groups. However, Adults will pay 15GHS, while children pay 5GHS for entry.

Components of the Dagaaba and Frafra friendly games 2024

The Dagaaba and Frafra friendly games is a cultural soiree born of a cordial relationship between two ethnic groups. It is an event which promises to be yet another fun-filled edition. With participants from across the Greater Accra Region and beyond, it remains that rare gathering of people from the two unique ethnicities.

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Characteristic of previous editions, the one-day program is packed with exciting activities for people of different ages. Notable activities for the day include volleyball, sack race, tug of peace, and the ultimate decider, football. Each activity will have a Men and Women edition.

On the cultural side, the Dagaaba and Frafra friendly games will feature a heavy dose of cultural display. The display will span musical performances, traditional drumming and dance sessions, and a variety of traditional cuisines from the Dagaaba and Frafra groups. There will also be an exhibition of artifacts and regalia peculiar to the two groups. Notable among the artifacts will be Smocks, the xylophone, and other items made of leather and smock material.

The bond between the two ethnic groups.

The bond between the two ethnic groups is said to be borne of the fact that they have one ancestry. However, due to migration, one group moved to the Upper West Region of Ghana and the other to the Upper East. There is also a story of two brothers going on a journey; at a point, hunger sets in, and the only choice is to make a meal of their companion dog.

A disagreement, however, ensued over when to boil or roast the meat; they eventually divided the carcass into two, leaving the head for later. Somehow, the head went missing. That quest to find the head led to the cordiality they currently enjoy as two ethnic groups. Also, the loss of the head created a teasing situation which has led to this cordiality. The Dagaaba and Frafra are believed to represent either of the brothers who shared the dog-meat.

Who are the Dagaaba and Frafra?

The Dagaaba are sometimes referred to as the Dagaba. They are an ethnic group in the Upper West Region of Ghana. They are mainly from Nandom and Lawra districts. The Dagaaba are a part of the Mole-Dagbani cluster of ethnic groups. Dagaare is the language spoken by the Dagaabas.

The Frafra are also an ethnic group from the Upper East Region of Ghana. However, some communities are extending into Burkina Faso. They speak Gurune, sometimes referred to as Frafra. Notable towns include Bolgatanga, Bongo, Tongo, and several others.

The two ethnic groups are believed to have come from one ancestor.

The ultimate prize

Through the years, the Dagaaba – Frafra friendly games have had a unique prize on the event. The ultimate winner is always given a Puppy. The prize has sparked several controversies amongst animal lovers and cultural enthusiasts. While Animal rights activists think that using a puppy as a trophy is barbaric, cultural enthusiasts advocate tolerance for different cultural practices. However, since the prize does not break any laws, it is safe to say sentiments haven’t succeeded in chastising this age-long tradition of a puppy prize at this novel event.

The Dagaaba – Frafra Friendly games have become a mainstay for most indigenes of the two ethnic groups in Accra. It presents a unique opportunity to enjoy the culture and fraternize with relatives. It also enhances the cordial relationship the two ethnicities have enjoyed for centuries. Because these two groups are from different regions in Ghana, the solidified friendship is exemplary.